Kick, Push, Create

Thursday

Aug 5, 2010 at 9:00 AM

The Dark World Gallery sheds a light on alternative art in the city like no other gallery. Perhaps the most shining example of this is its returning group show, the second-annual Skate of the Art (SOTA) 2010, which sees creative talents from greater Worcester and beyond contributing to skateboard deck art, that are then sold at auction to support Big Brother/Big Sister of Metrowest.

The Dark World Gallery sheds a light on alternative art in the city like no other gallery. Perhaps the most shining example of this is its returning group show, the second-annual Skate of the Art (SOTA) 2010, which sees creative talents from greater Worcester and beyond contributing to skateboard deck art, that are then sold at auction to support Big Brother/Big Sister of Metrowest.

Located within Out of the Dark World Tattoos, owned by tattoo artist and entrepreneur Ben Mack, the gallery has earned a name for itself for cutting-edge shows highlighting untraditional, often left-of-center art. SOTA is no different. With artists using skate decks in any manner they wish &ndash; as long as it&rsquo;s imaginative and inventive &ndash; the show highlights art with a skate deck as its canvas.

The submissions range from pieces such as &ldquo;Two Fly&rdquo; by Michael Nguyen, featuring a woman with insanely detailed flies done in acrylic paint to Nina Pagano&rsquo;s &ldquo;Madonna and Child,&rdquo; which is an incredibly stylized version of the well-known subject matter done in mixed media. &nbsp;

&ldquo;Since the early &lsquo;80s, skateboards have featured artwork on them as a way to recognize pro skaters and give kids something to brag about by having the latest board,&rdquo; explains curator Jonathan Hansen.&nbsp;&ldquo;There has been a movement in the past decade to use boards as a canvas and hang it on your wall as art.&nbsp;It seems to fit naturally as an art form, especially growing up in the scene.&rdquo; Hansen&rsquo;s brother, Brian Hansen, is the owner of Concrete Wave, a Worcester-based skate shop, and a sponsor for the show.&nbsp;

For Worcester artist Derek Ring, SOTA was a way for him to create graffiti-themed work without having to find a nearby wall to defile. &ldquo;Growing up in the sticks, it was a long bicycle ride to find a wall I wouldn&rsquo;t personally have to clean later on, so I never got much into the whole graffiti thing. Sharpie is the closest I get.&rdquo; Ring&rsquo;s submission, which features skulls rising like a phoenix through hell, showcases his phenomenally ghoulish talent and utilized a single sharpie in its design.

Maine artist Sam Johnson is new to the Dark World Gallery, having discovered the space during his friend and fellow artist Dave Christopher&rsquo;s recent solo show. &ldquo;That is how I figured out what Dark World was all about and really enjoyed what they had going on with the open range of work and artists. I hopefully will be having a solo show in the beginning of 2011,&rdquo; says Johnson.&nbsp;

Johnson&rsquo;s submission features one of his favorite horror characters, Michael Myers from Halloween. &ldquo;What inspired me was just doing what I love to do and what I need to do as an artist and that is to paint and keep pushing my knowledge mixing media,&rdquo; says Johnson. &ldquo;I wanted to create a well-rendered Michael Myers portrait and let the texture and color create the atmosphere of the dark, twisted person he is.&rdquo;

Former Worcester photographer Nina Pagano, who now resides in Chicago, joins her first SOTA show after discovering the gallery last January during the &ldquo;Art of E: Two Cents&rdquo; show.

Pagano feels shows like those the Dark World hosts are an important aspect of Worcester&rsquo;s growing arts community. &ldquo;A city&rsquo;s cultural significance is directly proportionate to its contributions to and appreciation of the arts; the Dark World Gallery is a group of people that appear to recognize that and aim on contributing to the ever-changing culture of the city of Worcester,&rdquo; shares Pagano.

With last year&rsquo;s show bringing over $2,000 in for the local Stone Soup agency, Hansen hopes to bring in even more funds for the Big Brother/Big Sister organization this year. &ldquo;We intentionally set up the show as a silent auction which allows gallery patrons to come in during the entire month of August to bid and outbid each other on their favorite artwork,&rdquo; says Hansen.

Hansen hopes that SOTA brings a new crowd into the increasingly popular gallery. According to Hansen, &ldquo;Ben Mack and I have worked together since January of 2009 to provide the city with a great space for local and upcoming artists, and we continue to push the envelope for culture and art in Worcester.&rdquo;

Whether you&rsquo;re a skate fan, art lover or just curious, Skate of the Art is a show worth checking out.

Opening reception of Skate of the Art is August 7 from 7 to 10 p.m. and the show hangs throughout the month of August. 179 Grafton St., Worcester, darkworldgallery.com.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.